So, talk me out of buying a new GSA....

johnnyboxer · Post by **johnnyboxer** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 10:39 pm

BMW are market leader in the Adv bike category by a fair margin

All their bikes are brilliant and outperform all the others, so they sell so well

Go buy one, it'll piss all over a Versys

-Ralph- · Post by **-Ralph-** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 5:11 am

jonny955 wrote:
johnnyboxer wrote:BMW are market leader in the Adv bike category by a fair margin

All their bikes are reasonable and outperform all the others in magazine advertising and PCP deals, so they sell so well

Go buy one, it'll piss it's final drive oil all over a Versys
Corrected for you, Johnny B) :laugh: !

Go on, go on...retaliate

Jon

It's just a Bitcher Moaner & Whiner, it's bark is worse than its bite, it wouldn't actually do anything physical. It'd just flash it's ABS light at the Versys, then piss it's final drive oil on the floor in protest.

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-Ralph- · Post by **-Ralph-** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 5:19 am

jonny955 wrote:Some of us (me included) want out bikes to look, well, um...pretty (thumbs)

Some of us want a well balanced, nice sounding, smooth and powerful, modern engine, not a massive block of metal intended to power a light aircraft. Most important bit of a motorbikes characteristics for me, but that's why I ride Triumph triples.

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johnnyboxer · Post by **johnnyboxer** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 6:35 am

jonny955 wrote:
johnnyboxer wrote:BMW are market leader in the Adv bike category by a fair margin

All their bikes are reasonable and outperform all the others in magazine advertising and PCP deals, so they sell so well

Go buy one, it'll piss it's final drive oil all over a Versys
Corrected for you, Johnny B) :laugh: !

Go on, go on...retaliate

Jon

You are right & I was taking the piss - but they do sell at no1, year after year

johnnyboxer · Post by **johnnyboxer** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 6:40 am

jonny955 wrote:On a slightly more serious note, I just cant see the visual appeal of the WC GS & GSA models. The GS isn't quite so bad but the GSA is covered in crash bars and pannier rails which seem to be drawn by a graffiti artist. In this respect, I think the old twin cam model was more aesthetically appealing (though no beauty queen itself).

Some of us (me included) want out bikes to look, well, um...pretty (thumbs) but I'm prepared to look beyond this failing as I do every morning in the mirror :woohoo: :laugh: :whistle:. No, really, it just looks messy to me. Don't take my word for it. Just ask any non-biker or female biker/pillion.

Jon

And this is from a man who rides a Stelvio - which is butt ugly too

Now the Stelvio looks ok, in a rugged sort of way, like a older GS

But the headlight, screen & clocks area is shite, the nose is too long & those lights - look crap

For a bike styled by Italians - they could have done so much better

ChasF · Post by **ChasF** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 7:51 am

I can't tell one 1200GS model from another - they all look like a badly designed gate leg table to me but then I don't think any other makes look much either.

I would have thought trying to choose one on aesthetics alone would be a lost cause.

waynecoluk · Post by **waynecoluk** » Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:04 am

I have a Versys so just by that statement you can tell that looks of a bike aren't massively important to me. However I think the GSA in blue looks pretty good, if I was going for looks I'd get the new Multistrada because I think it looks by far the best of all the "adventure" styled bikes, but looks are subjective.
I rode the last of the air cooled GSA last month. My friend has just bought a 90th year edition on a 13 plate with 4k on it and I didn't really like it. I wasn't expecting to like the LC version but loved it. Like I said in every conceivable way it was better than the Versys (IMO).
Again it comes down to the deal BMW are doing at the moment aswell. I did go and look at the 1200 Explorer and quite liked it but Triumph's Tri Option finance thingy has very high interest and they are not willing to budge.
Anyway I have to decide today whether Im going to take the plunge and ring BMW.

Question has anybody ridden the GSA WITHOUT the electronic suspension? And if so is there a big difference?

Scott_rider · Post by **Scott_rider** » Sat Oct 17, 2015 9:21 am

Did you take the plunge and get one?

waynecoluk · Post by **waynecoluk** » Sat Oct 17, 2015 10:58 am

No I didn't. Too many concerns and variables.
Few reasons and this has nothing to do with the bike. As I said I loved it and it is by far the best "adventure" bike I have ridden. The only one I haven't ridden is the Super Tenere as the local dealer didn't have one in stock to test ride. Any who..
1-They couldn't get me the bike I wanted within the timescale the deal was over ie end of October. I wanted a standard bike with a couple of mods like Cruise and heated grips and that was it. They couldn't get it as they would have had to order it from scratch. I told them that it was not my problem and if I laid down the full deposit and signed the paperwork then the deal is done within the timeframe? But BMW finance said no, the bike had to be registered within the time of the deal.
2-The finance deal even though on the website said for 5000 miles a year the bike which they said I could have which was in the showroom they would only do for 4000 miles a year. I asked its meant to be an adventure bike? Not too many adventures to be had when you can only do 4k a year with the 50 mile commute to work in the summer..
3- The sales guy was a bit of a knob if I'm honest. I just didn't like him and he was quite insistent I got a fully loaded TE model which surprisingly they had in stock...
4- When I was pondering the idea in the shop I asked if they would throw in the SatNav which to be fair to them they said yes. BUT only if I signed and gave a deposit there and then. He said he couldn't stress it enough that it was a one off deal and would not be available if I walked out of the shop. I asked "but you're open tomorrow? Why could I not think about it and give him the answer then". But no and I didn't like the pushy nature of it all.
5 - Everytime I went in the shop the price kept going up. I set a budget as per their website and it ended up being more of a deposit, more monthly payments and a bigger balloon payment at the end. Just because they wanted to sell me what they had in stock.
Anyway on the way home I thought what the hell am I doing? I loved the bike but I have a Versys which isn't perfect but isn't even a year old.
If I'm honest it sort of put me off buying any bike from them. I bought a new Audi in May and the sales guy I dealt with was fantastic and if he would have been selling me the bike I would have done it.

When I decide to change the Versys however it will defo be for a GSA. Just not from there and on my terms with the spec I want.

coddy · Post by **coddy** » Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:53 pm

just a quick reply regarding the TE model,
Would you not go for that !

You are obviously looking at the select finance deal
I am on my fourth bike now and the select suits me although not for everyone i appreciate.
but you may find that the TE model maybe cheaper a month than a lower spec bike due to residual values ETC.
I have had a 1200 GS TE on a 13 plate for 12 months and thought i would ask about an upgrade to the GSA.... anyway I was paying £159 a month for that. i got a brand new TE GSA in blue with full luggage and a lowered seat for £179 a month, No brainer in my opinion.. still a lot of money but its my only vice. Also rides very nice considering the size really happy !